In Bruges:

So the trailer led me to believe that "In Bruges" was going to be a funny action movie with a bland performance from the ever mediocre Colin Farrell. British action-comedies are usually fun and interesting. Not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. I enjoy movies that are less than intellectual from time to time.From the opening sequence it was clear that it was not going to be the movie that I had expected. Instead, it was more of a dramatic look at a would-be hitman who makes a mistake. While it was still funny at points and and had some action sequences, it was way better than the goofy romp that I had expected. Brendan Gleeson plays the role-model type hitman that Farrell has to tag along with as they lay low in a small town in Belgium and await further instructions from their boss. As a restless young man trying to wrap his brain around what he just did, laying low is not an option.The story unfolds with a lot of twists and turns around the complex relationships between Farrell and Gleeson and then between Gleeson and their boss, a foul-mouthed Ralph Fiennes. Without giving away too many of the critical plot points and ruin the movie, the mistake Farrell's Ray made proves too much for himself to handle. It is also a point of contention for their angry boss. These bad-guy killers turn out to be intricate characters that go beyond the typical movie hitman. The multi-dimensional anti-hero of Farrell's might be his best performance to date. Brendan Gleeson is always a good actor so I was not shocked by his excellent job as the father-figure gangster. I often see the twists coming in movies and it sometimes ruins my enjoyment of said plot twists, but even i didn't see some of these turns coming. The plot is complex and thought provoking as you are forced to examine what happens to a person who commits an unconscionable mistake and the repercussions such a mistake would entail. Farrell actually makes a murderer the sympathetic centerpiece of what might be one of the most original movies to come from the UK in quite a while. Of course, British movies are always more unique than the typical Hollywood fare that's been clogging up our theaters lately.

What a fabulous assessment of a fabulous movie! "In Bruges" was not what I expected, but my enjoyment of it is probably greater than it would have been if it was the fluff-piece I had anticipated.I've recommended this film to everyone I've spoken to today, and now I'll do it again for all of you blog lurkers: Go see "In Bruges"! It's rare to watch characters who are supposed to be cold-blooded killers and still want to bear-hug them. It's even rarer in this age of disposable sequels and remakes to find a film so raw and unique that it stays with you even after you leave the theater.